Recap
Alan and Wen backstory time. They were cute when they celebrated their first anniversary, but 5 years later they’re a mess. Alan wants to fix things. Wen wants it to be over, yet he’s still living there and even slept with Alan out of pity.
Present day Wen tries to crash with his blond friend but is turned away. At their home, Alan takes care of Wen’s cut and apologizes. Alan wants to know what Jim has that he doesn’t. Wen can’t answer.
Wen texts Jim, wanting to talk. Jim says they’ll talk face-to-face and won’t answer Wen’s call.
Jim and Li Ming are having breakfast together. Gaipa comes by and forces Jim to take his mother’s title deed for some land to use as collateral for the loan. Li Ming calls Wen over, but he’s with colleagues and can only give Jim meaningful looks and be ignored.
Li Ming tries to get Jim to open up about Wen and he won’t, but Li Ming says he likes Wen.
At Heart’s, Heart texts about studying so he can one day have a job and be independent. Li Ming then drags him to do some work as a mascot at the mall.
Wen is there and they get drinks together. Wen sees how Li Ming takes care of Heart and knows what’s up. Li Ming asks why Wen hasn’t been around and Wen makes excuses.
Alan handles Jim’s loan application coldly, though not quite crossing the line. They then have an amusingly metaphoric conversation about Alan’s pen, which Jim gives back.
Wen is still trying to call Jim but gets to deal with Alan instead. Alan is a jerk. Wen brings up loans which leads to talking about Jim. It’s not great.
At work, Wen’s boss is pushing forward with the project even though they don’t have the land yet. Afterward, blond friend points out to Wen that no new lover will like Wen’s current living situation.
Wen shows up at the restaurant for the face-to-face talk that Jim’s avoiding. Wen is in Alan’s position now, asking Jim how to fix things. Jim claims to be uninvolved but doesn’t deny it when Wen says they like each other. He reminds Wen that all he asked for when they first met was for it not to be complicated.
Wen has a run and thinks about what everyone has been saying. Then, he meets up for dinner with Alan. Alan can tell this is the end and is hurt about the last 4-5 months. Wen apologizes, deep down he wanted to make it work again too.
Wen denies that Jim is why they are breaking up, they were already over. A server shows up to rekindle their bbq fire and is rejected giving us another metaphor. They’re both teary as Wen leaves first.
Li Ming borrows Leng’s bike and Jim slips Leng some money. There’s a silly convo about Leng’s unborn child’s gender identity and sexuality, and Leng asks about Jim’s love life. Jim has no answer.
Li Ming takes Heart out on a romantic night ride. Then Li Ming teaches Heart to drive the bike and he immediately crashes it and needs his arm bandaged.
Heart’s parents are pissed and Jim is there too. Heart’s parents go after Li Ming. Jim starts stepping in to get Li Ming to apologize but Li Ming is pissed that Heart’s Mom accuses him of taking advantage of Heart and calls Heart mute.
Jim tries to get Li Ming to quiet down but Heart needs him to interpret as he vents his frustration at his parents for not knowing what’s going on, not learning sign, and being ashamed. Heart’s mom is upset and can’t sign back without Li Ming’s help. Heart leaves, Li Ming follows and holds him as he cries.
At home, Jim scolds Li Ming. Li Ming asks if Jim would really not help a friend in Heart’s situation, and says he’s old enough to be responsible for his own actions.
Jim ignores a call from Wen again, but Wen is outside. He needs a place to stay. Jim steps down and gives him a hug.
Thoughts
And that last moment is the answer the Li Ming’s question to Jim. Li Ming and Jim are very alike, they both want to take care of the people they love. But Li Ming is fire and determination and Jim is caution and hesitancy. Jim has been hurt and doesn’t want Li Ming to get hurt, but Li Ming wants to live his own life.
Heart’s family situation is a little confusing and unexplained. He went deaf 3 years ago and doesn’t talk, with no backstory about what the family was like before then or if and how they communicated. It is an issue that parents with hearing can neglect to address their Deaf or hard-of-hearing children’s needs, so maybe that happened here? But did Heart ever have full hearing? Did he ever talk? It doesn’t get explained.
But those missing details don’t get in the way of enjoying Li Ming steadfastly sticking up for Heart, Heart finally communicating with his oblivious parents, and the comforting hug after.
Alan comes off better in this episode than he did in the last one, though he’s still a jerk. But it’s clear that he’s frustrated and confused, with Wen saying one thing and then doing another. Wen lets Alan push him around, and that’s probably how the relationship worked too. Alan’s desire to force his relationship to work is similar to Gaipa’s efforts with Jim, though Gaipa is a sweet baby angel.
Wen wants a home, that’s my guess as to why he stuck with Alan even after he wanted to break up. Maybe for a while, the dysfunctional home he had with Alan felt safer than none.
Wen looks like he’s pushing Jim, but I think it’s more like negotiation. Jim can’t be pushed, Wen tried it in this episode and hit a wall when Jim pointed out he didn’t want complicated. But when Wen came back and it wasn’t complicated anymore, Jim let him in.